Papercut
by Gunzaimyx
Summary: Man lives in a world and man must conquer it...Implied Marluxia/Zexion


**(c) Gunzaimyx**

**Inspired by exploring the college library. Happy early 11/6 Day!**

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A child has an imagination that is vague, imprecise yet without limit. To sow the seeds of science is like exploiting the child to a world of magic. Biology, physics, chemistry, etc... All things begin to unravel in detail. But since nothing exists that does not constitute a part of the whole, it is sufficient to choose one detail at random, which will then become a point of departure in the study of the whole

Zexion closes the small brown book and places it carefully on his lap. Removing his glasses, he folds it and places it on top of the book. He rested an arm at the chair's armrest and rubbed the bridge of his nose. "I don't understand how these people confuse me to a child because of my stature." Placing the book off to the side, he stood up from the chair and stretched his arms outward. "Idiots."

The sounds of glass breaking and banging were heard at a distance.

"What now..." Dropping his arms to his side, he sighed and ventured out of the quiet corners of the library.

Zexion walked down the halls of Castle Oblivion's basement levels. The sounds of yelling were becoming clear to him. Stopping before some spilled toxics, he faced an opened door to a laboratory where the loud voice of Vexen scolds the uncontrollable attitude of Larxene.

"You have no respect!" the scientist yelled constantly.

Larxene laughed, swinging a pair of scissors in her finger. "Respect for you? That's unlikely." Letting the scissors fly, it flew off in the direction of Zexion, passing his face by inches, stabbing the wall behind him. Zexion looked back at the blades and yanked it off the wall. He stepped into the ruined laboratory and placed the scissors on a nearby desk. "Larxene, what are you doing here?"

"Yes, what are you doing here?" copied Vexen.

Larxene turned to Zexion. "My, my. Look who it is? The old man's lackey."

Zexion twitched. "Larxene..."

Laughing her sadistic laugh, she walked over to where Zexion stood. She slid her hand across his chest in seduction as she walked passed him. "Think twice, Zexy. I'm way out of your league." Stopping by the doorway, she giggled. "Or maybe...you're just too young."

Zexion turned around to her to come up with some sort of retort but it was too late. She had gone off. Vexen stomped up beside him. "The nerve of that woman!" No. She is no woman! She is an ANIMAL in desperate need of dissecting!" Vexen said, landing a fist in his hand in realization.

Zexion sighed and walked out of the laboratory. As he walked down the hall, he could hear Vexen complaining to himself about something breaking loose in his lab. Rolling his eyes, Zexion headed towards their living quarters. The room use to be for meetings but now, it's simply a living room where they would eat and have small conversations. Peaking in, he saw Lexaeus sitting there figuring out one of his puzzles.

"Lexaeus. Vexen needs your help."

Lexaeus turned his head to him. "Help?"

Zexion nodded. "He needs help cleaning his laboratory. Hop to it." He tossed over a mop and bucket to the sitting man; Lexaeus catches them. "Zexion, aren't you going to assist?" he asked.

Turning away, Zexion ignored him and continued walking down the hall to the library.

As he approached it, there was this strong scent—something evenly powerful to his own. It was giving him a headache. He wasn't fully sure who it is was but he had some kind of idea.

He walked into the library—stopping suddenly on the appearance of somebody standing within the aisle of books, exploring and examining.

"Marluxia."

The castle lord looked at him with the corner of his eyes. "Number VI. You have an interesting array of books. One could gain much knowledge from just reading them." Marluxia turned to him. "I assume that is why you spend your time here. Quiet. No distractions...All to gain that knowledge."

Zexion just walked in and sat on the chair. "No. I read because I'm bored."

Marluxia just chuckled, not sure, if Zexion was being sarcastic or truthful.

Zexion picked up the book he was once reading and opened it up. Marluxia slowly paced around, examining his surroundings as if he was looking for something. He peered into an empty white vase. "You can't read without your glasses," he said.

Embarrassed by this given fact, Zexion slowly put his glasses on. "Can you please leave? I cannot concentrate."

Marluxia looked back towards the man. "Concentrate? On what? I thought you only read because you were bored." He began to approach him. When he got close, Zexion tried to stand up, but Marluxia already leaned forward, placing his hands on both arms-rests, trapping Zexion in his seat.

"Don't tower me, Marluxia. I am still your superior." Zexion said, trying not to make eye contact.

Marluxia laughed, leaning even closer. "Oh, but I am placed lord of this castle, correct?"

"Well then, you're invading my personal space."

"I'm just helping you concentrate, Zexion. Opening your mind..." Marluxia held a hand to him. There laid a single petal. In a flash, it transformed into a coral colored rose, which Marluxia held, placing under his nose, sniffing it slightly. "A mind awakens in the face of creation." Backing away, Marluxia sniffed the flower one last time before placing it in the empty vase.

"Take care...Zexion." Marluxia disappeared in darkness.

Zexion just sat there, staring at the flower. One of the petals has fallen off. How dare he... What was he doing here anyway? Standing up, he walked over to the shelves, putting the book he was reading back in its certain place. He glanced back at the rose.

"This library does lack 'life'," someone said breaking the silence.

Zexion looked to see Vexen was standing at the entrance of the library with his hands behind his back.

"When do the intrusions end," Zexion sighed.

Vexen stopped near the flower. "An interesting color choice. Where did you manage to find the time to grow this?"

"I didn't. Marluxia came," Zexion answered. He was rearranging the books on the shelves.

Vexen darted a look of interest towards Zexion. "Oh ho! Really?"

"Yes. Why do you sound so surprised?"

Vexen looked back at the flower. "Why, every rose has a different meaning. I'm quite curious on what this specific color means."

Zexion noticed a book was missing from one of the shelves; a book on gardening and plants. "Marluxia must have taken it...without asking," he whispered. Shaking his head, he finished with the shelves and walked out of the aisle. Vexen was still examining the rose.

Zexion crossed his arms. "If you want it, go ahead and take it. I have no use for it."

Vexen backed away. "Oh no, no. I have no use for it either." He turned towards to entryway and walked out. "If you do find out what it means, do let me know, Zexion."

...:XXX:...

Every time Zexion walked into the library, it seems like the scent of that flower was getting stronger. It had a sweet smell with a hint of something else. He couldn't figure it out.

Looking through the aisles of books, he thought about the meaning behind the flower. Like Vexen said, every rose has a meaning, especially with its color. It was definitely not a red rose, standing for "love". Black roses didn't even exist in nature, but if Marluxia were able to conjure one up, it stands for death. Of all cliché colors, the one sitting in that once empty vase had no meaning that he knew of. Why would Marluxia produce such flower? It got him curious. What did the castle lord think of him? It couldn't be any feeling because they had no emotion to express. Hatred, perhaps?

Zexion started looking for the book that held all the meanings to a flower. He gathered all of them and placed them neatly on the coffee table. There were around a dozen of them. Once he sat down, he grabbed the first book on top of the stack and started reading.

Hours have passed and Zexion has gone through 3 books, none contained the information he needed. He sighed and grabbed the next book. This time, instead of reading it, he started flipping through the pages, scanning for key words.

In the middle of the book, he slammed it shut in anger. "How am I supposed to know what that flower means if I don't know what kind of color that it or what it's called?" he told himself. He sighed and decided to take a small break to gather his thoughts together. Why the heck was he so obsessed with what it means? He took a small sip of his drink, while he stared at the remaining book that sat on the table before him. He noticed one specific book. It was the book of gardening and flowers.

Confusion appeared on Zexion's face. "What a minute..." he thought. He knew Marluxia took this book when he last visited. Why is it here? He started thinking again. Then again, what if it wasn't the book he took. He looked over all the books that he gathered on the table. When he was done, he walked over to the book shelves and reviewed over them as well.

Alas, he found the missing spot but he wasn't sure what book was once there. What was there? That was when he felt a presence behind him; the shadow towering over him. He quickly turned around to see Marluxia, holding a book up, covering his face. "Were you looking for this?"

Annoyed, Zexion snatched the book from him. "Yes I was." Marluxia watched Zexion march off to where the rest of the books were. He gathered all the flower type books and headed back to put them in their places.

Marluxia crossed his arms. "Now, what were you doing with all those books? Were you looking for something...let's say, the meaning of a certain flower?"

Zexion stops in his tracks. "N-No. I wasn't. I was rearranging the books and then I noticed that it was missing." He walked into the same aisle Marluxia was in. "Next time, tell me that you're going to take a book out. It makes life so much easier," Zexion said, placing the last book in its spot; the book that Marluxia took.

"Aren't you going to look inside, Zexion?"

"Pardon?"

"The only reason you were looking through all those books was the meaning of the flower in that vase. You're holding the book right now. Why don't you look up its meaning?"

Zexion stood there in silence. "What does it matter? Don't be so persistent, Marluxia."

He turned and placed the book it its place. "Besides, I think I know what it means."

"Do you?"

Turning around again, Marluxia was standing right behind him. Zexion jerked back into the bookshelf. "Why do you keep doing that?"

Marluxia placed a hand on one of the shelves, blocking Zexion's escape. He leaned closer to his face. "Man lives in a world...and man must conquer it..." he whispered.

"What are you talking about?"

"...What I desire..." Marluxia whispered.

His hair covered his eyes, except the wanting curve on his lips. Marluxia drew closer. Zexion felt the other man's breath near his own lips. He swallowed hard.

"What...do you desire?"

Marluxia chuckled slightly, a satisfied smile appearing on his lips.

"You."

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